Tanks ammunition shortage reports are “rumours”: Antony

New Delhi: Defence Minister AK Antony dismissed the reports on the shortage of certain tanks ammunition as “rumours”. AK Antony today said there will always be “shortcomings” but the country was in a much stronger position as compared to the past.”These are all rumours. I can assure you that the country is fully prepared. India is in much more strong position as compared to the past. There will always be some shortcomings and that is also in the process. We can’t expect 100 per cent requirements to be fulfilled and also that entire force is not on the front. They are all spread over,” said Mr Antony.

The minister was commenting on news reports suggesting that only four days of ammunition was left with the Army’s armoured regiments, on the sidelines of the two-day IAF Commanders’ Conference. The minister’s statement appears to contradict the vice-chief of the Army, General VK Singh. He has told a committee of MPs in the event of a war, ammunition to take on enemy tanks, which is meant to last 40 days, would be exhausted in less than 20 days because of poor reserves.

In his letter written to the Prime Minister in March, Army Chief Gen. V. K. Singh had also pointed out that armoured regiments were facing a critical shortage of ammunition. Parliament’s Standing Committee on Defence is to call the three service chiefs to brief it about defence preparedness.